Performance audits have become a hot topic in Olympia with multiple proposals on the table to authorize these much needed performance reviews. As of this writing, three bills have been dropped in the legislature (including one companion bill) and an initiative to the people has been filed to permit the state auditor the ability to conduct performance audits. The value of performance audits is unquestionable. Performance audits are a valuable management tool, carefully structured around tough, nationally recognized auditing principles—principles that cannot be ignored if the best intentions of legislators and the desires of the public are to be realized....